Grits are a well-known pantry staple in the South where they're often combined with savory ingredients like ham or cheese. If you'd rather eat sweetened grits, make Yankee grits. These Northern versions can be made with quick-cooking grits or hominy grits. Sweeten the grits with maple syrup, honey or brown sugar and try optional toppings like dried fruits, fresh fruit, or chopped nuts. Enjoy the Yankee grits for breakfast or dessert!

Using Brown Sugar

Steps

Method1

Making Quick-Cooking Yankee Grits Using Maple Syrup

1

Heat the milk, maple syrup, and salt. Measure 1 cup (240 ml) of low-fat milk or water into a small saucepan. Stir in 2 teaspoons of pure maple syrup and one pinch of salt. Turn the heat on to high and stir it occasionally until the mixture boils.[1]

You can easily use skim, 1%, or 2% milk in this recipe.

2

Whisk in quick-cooking grits and cook them for a few minutes. Measure ¼ cup (42 g) of quick-cooking grits. Once the liquid mixture is boiling, slowly whisk the grits in. Turn the heat down to medium-low and put the lid on the pot. Cook the grits for 3 to 4 minutes.[2]

You may want to stir the grits once or twice while they're cooking, so they don't stick to the pan.

3

Stir in the fruit. Once the grits have thickened, turn off the heat. Keep the lid on the pot and let the grits rest for 1 minute. Remove the lid and stir in 2 tablespoons of chopped dried fruit. For example, you could use raisins or dried cranberries. Serve the Yankee grits right away.[3]

You could also use fresh berries. Blueberries pair well with maple syrup.

Bring the grits to a boil. Turn the heat on to medium and stir the grits occasionally. Heat the mixture until it begins to bubble vigorously. Be careful when stirring the grits, since they may sputter.[5]

3

Reduce the heat and cook the grits. Once the grits boil, turn the heat down to medium-low. Let the grits simmer, so they bubble gently. Stir the grits regularly and cook them for 8 to 10 minutes. Turn the heat off once the grits have thickened. Serve the grits with sliced fresh fruit.[6]

Method3

Making Stone-Ground Yankee Grits Using Brown Sugar

1

Heat the water and milk. Pour 2 cups (473 ml) of water and 2 cups (473 ml) of skim milk into a large saucepan. Turn the heat to medium and bring the liquids to a boil. Stir the liquids occasionally.[7]

2

Stir in the hominy grits and salt and cook the mixture for 5 minutes. Once the liquids come to a boil, stir the liquids while you slowly pour in 1 cup (170 g) of hominy grits and 1 pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to low. Stir and cook the grits for 5 minutes, so they thicken.[8]

3

Cook the grits for one hour. Put the lid on the pot and let the grits continue to cook. Let them cook for one hour, so they become completely tender. You can stir in 2 teaspoons of butter, 2 tablespoons of chopped pecans, and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar right before you're ready to serve the Yankee grits.[9]

If the grits seem too thick to you, you can stir in a little water to make them runnier.